Wednesday, December 9, 2020

Johnny Depp won't be Houdini...again


For many years it's been rumored that Johnny Depp was interested in playing Houdini. He's been reported as attached to various Houdini projects, all of which have never materialized. Now The Hollywood Reporter has a lengthy profile about the actor's recent troubles, and in it it says he's been dropped from a "prestige Harry Houdini TV project" to be produced by Jerry Bruckheimer. This is the first I've heard of this project! Below are the relevant paragraphs:

In the ensuing days, Warner Bros. excised him from its Fantastic Beasts franchise — a firing that played out publicly — while sources tell THR that he is no longer involved with a prestige Harry Houdini TV project produced by Jerry Bruckheimer, his most powerful remaining ally. 

Insiders say Depp's relationship with Bruckheimer has frayed in recent months. Sources say the actor was poised to play the iconic illusionist Harry Houdini in a Bruckheimer-produced high-end production, offering a career jump-start after multiple pricey bombs [...]. The Houdini series, which had not yet found a home, would mark Depp's first foray into TV since his 21 Jump Street days.

It's been a while since we've gotten news of a new Houdini project from Hollywood. But if ten years of this blog as taught us anything, it's that the vast majority of these come to nothing. So we'll see if this Bruckheimer TV project resurrects with a new Harry. Let's just hope it's not Houdini the spy! But I bet it is.

2 comments:

  1. Johnny Depp is, as far as I am aware, the only Magic Castle member who obtained permission to check something out of the library. It was Pat Cullition's magnum opus on Houdini.

    Milt Larsen might have mentioned something about this permission to the librarians, so as to avoid a slightly panicky moment upon noticing a huge gap in the Locked Cabinet.

    The volumes, it should be noted, were returned in good order.

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    1. That is a great story, Lisa. I recall you telling me about this, which is why I've always taken the Depp Houdini rumors seriously. Hope you are well!

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